Arizona student charged with taking AR-15 to Phoenix high school

A high school student from Phoenix, Arizona was arrested on Friday after he was allegedly caught carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at school, authorities said. 

The 15-year-old student of Bostrom High School was found to be in possession of a semi-automatic rifle and several rounds of ammunition in his backpack and lunchbox. The school administrators had received a tip about a gun on campus, the Phoenix Police Department said in a statement.

Following the discovery of the weapon, the school was immediately placed on lockdown and the police were called. Once the police arrived, they confiscated the weapon and arrested the male student at around 1 p.m. 

The student, who has not yet been identified due to his age, is facing felony charges, including "minor in possession of a firearm, carrying a weapon on school grounds, interfering with an educational institution and other weapon-related charges," Donna Rossi, director of communications for the Phoenix police, told NBC News.

The high school’s principal, Michelle Gutierrez de Jimenez, told the families of students that the school will take additional security measures going forward. 

"As we shared on Friday, we received a report from a student that a possible firearm was on campus. Our staff immediately contacted local law enforcement, who arrived on the scene and confirmed the report to be true," the letter said. "The Phoenix Police Department is investigating, and we will cooperate fully in their investigation."

"As you know, the safety of our students and staff is always our top priority and a shared effort," it continued. "We want to thank those who reported the incident to a trusted adult, our staff, and the Phoenix Police Department who quickly arrived on campus."

The incident is being investigated by the police department’s crime gun intelligence unit. It is unclear where the student got the semi-automatic rifle and why he brought it to campus.